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Vol. 5, Issue 115 www.theolivepress.es February 5th - February 18th 2020
SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND? Take a visit to Granada’s secret Acropolis, or a peek at Spain’s most original expat art. See pages 12 to 15
Goose chase EU ruffles feathers over Boris’s plans for Canada trade model
His aim is an agreement like the one Canada signed in 2016 where import tariffs on most goods have been eliminated.
The flow of services, such as banking – which is of more importance to the UK – however are much more restricted. He also mentioned however, that if this deal is not reached the UK will return to the Withdrawal Agreement, or have a similar deal to Australia. Boris used his speech - titled ‘unleashing Britain’s potential’ - to highlight the fact that the UK intends to revert to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms if the EU refuses such a deal. He said: “The choice is emphatically not ‘deal or no deal’. “The question is whether we agree a trading relationship with the EU comparable to Canada’s - or more like Australia’s.
“Instead, we must work to protect the frictionless fluidity of people across our frontier with Europe.” He said he would ‘not TALKING TOUGH: Picardo bares his teeth in EU speech be able to give a blow by blow ac- 26. Picardo expressed ‘genuine “If all the talk in relation to Gicount of every meeting or contact’ sadness’ about leaving the EU al- braltar is of vetoes, then our Euwhen the process gets going in Al- though he hoped its values would ropean colleagues will not just be expressed in be failing us, they will be failing geciras on February the Future Trade themselves. “That is not the generosity of spirAgreement. “If the EU takes it and approach which this histora line in rela- ic moment requires of us all.” tion to Gibral- Despite Brexit, the Chief Minister tar which is not said that Gibraltar had realised inclusive of us, that the ‘safest course is with BritUK BASED the EU will have ain that we know, trust and unfailed to under- derstand’. stand why the Time’s Up Page 6-7 UK is leaving,” said Picardo.
“In either case, I have no doubt that Britain will prosper mightily.” He added he will reject the requirement for the UK to adopt European rules ‘on competition policy, subsidies, social protection, the environment, or anything similar, any more than the EU should be obliged to accept UK rules’. The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, was not so forthcoming and offered a contrasting opinion. He said the EU was ready to offer a ‘highly ambitious trade deal as the central pillar of this partnership’. He added it included ‘zero tariffs and zero quotas’. But according to Barnier this is dependent on the UK agreeing to ‘specific and effective guarantees to ensure a level playing field’, so competition ‘is and remains open and fair’. The highly controversial issue of fishing was also addressed with the Frenchman expecting the UK to allow ‘continued reciprocal access’. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said negotiations will be ‘hard and fair and fast’ but that the closer the UK wanted to be to the Union, the more it had to abide to its rules.
A UK plan for a Canada-style free trade deal with the European Union has been rejected. It comes as UK Prime Minister
Will EU play fair? By John Culatto
‘PEOPLE must come before rhetoric, borders or politics.’ That is the message from Gibraltar Chief Minister ahead of post-Brexit talks with Spain. The message was part of the Brexit Day speech which was marked by the taking down of the EU flag and its replacement with that of the Commonwealth on January 31. Fabian Picardo said Gibraltar’s ‘political safety’ as a British territory was not on the table as talks between the UK and Spain begin on its future outside the EU. “We will not accept any attempt to compromise our sovereignty, jurisdiction or control over any part of our territory,” assured Picardo.
“Much will be said to seek to divide us or make you fear the progress or potential outcomes of the negotiations. “Remember: that is the oldest trick in the book for a negotiating opponent.
Boris Johnson laid out his vision for a trade deal with Brussels insisting there was ‘no need’ to follow EU rules.
Picardo calls on the bloc to approach postBrexit negotiations with ‘generosity of spirit’
Spirit
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Expat bust
NEWS IN BRIEF
Teen terror A 15-year-old repeat offender has been sent to prison for eight months in Gibraltar’s prison for assault, theft and criminal damage.
Hash crash A MORROCAN man caught red-handed by the RGP dumping hashish into the sea from his boat got 20 months in jail for drug smuggling.
Honey trap TYRONE Garcia has received half a year in prison for putting a woman through a horrible ordeal by locking her in his house after an argument.
Coke for broke FIVE members of a drug-dealing family have been arrested in San Roque after a police raid on January 29 seized cocaine in their properties worth nearly €20,000.
People smuggling ring shut COPS have detained 34 members of a criminal network allegedly involved in people smuggling. Those arrested during Operation Llama were held for crimes of forgery, smuggling and belonging to a criminal organisation. The arrests in Malaga, Melilla and Mallorca comprised 28 foreigners and six Spaniards. The sophisticated network was perfectly structured on three levels, each performing distinct roles within the organisation, claim police. The first one was made up of a Spanish citizen and a Moroccan citizen who ran an operations centre where false lease contracts were drawn up, among other documents. The second level was made up of people who dealt directly with the principal investigators and were responsible for appearing as landlords. Finally, there would be foreigners who would use these false contracts to apply for residence permits.
CRIME
A BRITISH expat has been arrested on the Costa del Sol for drug trafficking. The 41-year-old fugitive was detained in San Pedro, where he had lived for a number of years. Police held the man, who had a European Detention order issued from the UK, after pulling him over, while he was driving. A police spokesperson said the man was an ‘established’ resident of San Pedro.
February 5th - February 18th 2020
CAR CRASH BUST Know the drill A MOROCCAN expat has been arrested after police found 71 bags of drugs in his stomach following a car crash. It came after the drug mule crashed his car in a fatal accident in the Axarquia on January 19. The bags of hashish were found in his stomach by doctors, when they X-rayed various chest injuries at Axarquia hospital. A young passenger riding with him in an Opel Astra died in the crash. A further four people were injured when they crashed head-first into the Opel in a white minibus. The horror accident happened at a dangerous junction of the A-356 at Trapiche, near Velez-Malaga, where there have been other fatalities. The Moroccan citizen was arrested two days after the crash and has now been charged with drug trafficking.
NETTED British duo jailed after €70m of cocaine seized on their yacht at Fishguard port By Dilip Kuner
A PAIR of British crooks who bought a yacht in Spain to use in a £60 million cocaine smug-
gling plot have been jailed for a total of 33 years. Gary Swift, 53, and Scott Kilgour, 41, both from Liverpool, were arrested last year off the Welsh coast with 750 kilos of cocaine on board. They were nicked following an operation between Spain’s Policia Nacional and the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), launched in August 2018. In a successful sting they tracked the yacht Atrevido for a whole year from the Balearic Islands until apprehending it on August 27, 2019, near the port of Fishguard. During the year it had travelled to the Canary Islands and various South American countries. The drugs, which had a wholesale value of £24million (approx €28m), would have sold on the streets for a massive £60 (€72 million) once cut. On arrest, Swift immediately admitted his guilt, saying: “I just want to say that I am guilty. I have got something substantial on the boat and you CUSTOMS officers fought off smugglers in a dramatic boat chase before seizing 1,500 cartons of tobacco and a speedboat. The incident occured when Customs Officers chased a small launch onto a beach during a routine patrol two weeks ago. However, the customs officers then faced further violence when they boarded the speedboat loaded with cigarettes. “When Customs Officers boarded the small speedboat, two other vessels who were in the area rammed and attacked the officers, hitting an officer on the shoulder. “An individual on one of the vessels then threatened the officers, making comments about a weapon and acting as if he had retrieved a firearm by pointing both his hands towards them.” The situation turned slight-
will find it.” He later admitted ‘I’m the bad one here,’ and asked custody officers to pass a message to the NCA revealing the number of packages on board the yacht. His partner Kilgour had bought the vessel for €50,000 from a dealer in Mallorca, Swansea Crown Court heard this week. The pair have now been sentenced to 19 years and 13 years in prison, pleading guilty to importing class A drugs into the UK. Four alleged accomplices – three men and a woman – arrested in Liverpool and Loughborough in connection with the seizure, remain on bail. The NCA seized two more yachts during the investigation, the Mistral and another, both of which were believed to be about to smuggle drugs. Police also seized three Rolex watches, a Panerai watch, and Tag Heuer watch during the operation, as well as five cars, two vans, and a house in France.
A SPANISH dentist has been sentenced to three years in prison for secretly filming one of his workers getting changed. The female employee discovered a USB drive that included footage of her getting changed in the storage cupboard at the clinic in Alcorcon, near Madrid. He has been sentenced to three years in prison for crimes against privacy. Madrid’s Supreme Court also ordered the dentist, 53, to pay his employee €62,500 in damages for ‘seriously and repeatedly breaking her basic rights’.
Spliff sentence
A SPANISH man who smuggled the largest ever haul of narcotics into Gibraltar has been sentenced to eight years. Juan Manuel Ordonez Suarez, 37, was caught red-handed as he was smuggling just over 1.5 tonnes of hashish. He was piloting a 14 metre inflatable launch when he was stopped by the RGP Marine Section in the early hours of June 10 last year. After searching the rigid hull inflatable boat, some 1,509kg of cannabis resin were found hidden under the deck.
Expert
The hashish was stored in a secret compartment in the hull of the boat, with an expertly designed electronic sliding panel. Ordonez was arrested for three charges of possession of a class ‘B’ drug, of importing it, and possession with intent to supply. He was held at Windmill Hill Prison until his trial on February 3. Chief Justice Anthony Dudley that this was the biggest haul of drugs in British Waters when sentencing the criminal at the Supreme Court.
Smoke on the water
HAUL: Some 1,500 boxes of cigarettes seized ly comical when both of the smugglers’ boats crashed into each other as they tried to attack the Customs. One of
the attackers fell into the water, although his accomplices fished him out and they all escaped to Spain.
NEWS Christmas comes late
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A SPANISH film has scooped a major BAFTA film award in London. Klaus, directed by Sergio Pablos, won the award for Best Animated Film. The Netflix film came out on top against Frozen 2, Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon and Toy Story 4. Pablos took to the stage to make his acceptance speech
February 5th - February 18th 2020
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and thanked Netflix for ‘betting on it’. He also thanked everyone who was involved with the film for ‘making this possible.’ The film is centred around Santa Claus and is the first animated feature film made in Spain. The Christmas film is also up for an Oscar this weekend.
Glory for Gloria PEDRO Almodovar’s Dolor y Gloria has swept the boards at this year’s Goya Awards. The movie scooped seven gongs at the Malaga ceremony, including one for the seasoned director. The film also appropriately won Malaga’s most famous
Banderas feels ‘very alive’ as he celebrates first big career win
WINNER: Almodovar with Cruz behind
son, actor Antonio Banderas, a Best Actor award. It also won best picture and
best screenplay, out of 16 nominations, with the big surprise that Penelope Cruz
Recycled red
Goals in the kitchen
PRINCESS Leonor has followed in the footsteps of her mother by recycling her outfit. The princess, 15, wore the same outfit at the official opening of Parliament that she wore in November at an event in Catalunya. The red tweed dress and a red jacket were worn in honour of mum, Queen Letizia’s lucky colour. The young Royal is following in the footsteps of her environmentally-aware mother who often re-uses her clothes. It came as many celebrities were showered in praise for wearing recycled outfits at the BAFTA awards in London this week. In particular, the Duchess of Cambridge who wore the same gown as in 2012.
FORMER British expat Julie Neville, married to England Women’s manager Phil Neville, has launched a Spanish cookbook. The 44-year-old draws inspiration from her time in Valencia, where she lived with her husband and their two children for three years. Naturally, the mum-of-two did not forget the region’s most famous dish paella in her new 248page book, Authentic Spanish Cooking. The former receptionist revealed she got her paella recipe from renowned restaurant Ca ‘Pepico. Valencian oysters also get a look-in, as do salt-crusted sea bass, which she honed at revered local fish joint, Civera.
lost out to Belen Cuesta in La trinchera infinita. Almodovar gave a long acceptance speech for best movie, in which he serenaded Spain’s newly elected Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, wishing him well over the next four years. When he returned later to accept his Best Director prize, his message was more specific. “Spanish cinema is in a good place, but it has many dark areas. “I would like to tell the President that independent cinema is in serious danger of extinction,” he said.
Oscar time
Banderas was very emotional in his speech, thanking Almodovar for his friendship and life lessons and finished his speech: “Today is three years since I had a heart attack. Not only am I alive, but I feel very alive.” Now Spanish film goers will be hoping that their top actor wins an Oscar for the first time this week. While he has been nominated for previous films, including The Mask of Zorro and Evita, he has yet to take home a major trophy.
Grab a Grammy
SPAIN’S top singer has scooped her first Grammy. 26-year-old Rosalia won Best Latin Album for El Mal Querer at the awards ceremony in Los Angeles. It was the first time an all-Spanish album has won the category. While she told the audience it was an honour to win the award, she said she was more excited about performing a ‘flamenco-inspired’ song for them. The artist had already won four Latin Grammys in 2019, including Album of the Year. During her debut performance, the Barcelona singer gave the audience a taste of her new flamenco-powered pop single, titled Juro Que.
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NEWS NEWS IN IN BRIEF BRIEF
Smoke Rising THE cost of tobacco has gone up by 50p per carton to £15,00 for 200 cigarettes as the government tackles the effects of smoking.
Temp parenting
A FOSTERING campaign was launched by Minister Paul Balban on February 3 with a walk down Main Street from John Mackintosh Square to Casemates where a stand was set up.
Working it out
TRADE unions from both sides of the border have formed into one body to push for improved economic and social mechanisms between Andalucia and Gibraltar.
Curtains for drama NEW changing rooms, accessible toilets and an outdoor lift will be fitted to Ince’s Hall theatre in a refurbishment project over the next four months.
NEWS
February 5th - February 18th 2020
Teaching the future SEVEN Gibraltar teachers at three schools are now qualified to give lessons on climate change. They became among the first in the world to be certified by the United Nations Climate Change Learning Partnership. The Ministry of Education said the course would ‘prepare today’s youth to protect the planet and generate social innovation’. The teachers come from Bayside, Westside and St Bernard’s Upper Primary Schools. Apart from climate change science, they will educate children about gender, cities and general health. The scheme is part of the ClimACT project that has so far encouraged recycling, reuse of water bottles and art material as well as traffic free days. “As the world wakes up to the reality of climate change, Gibraltar’s schools are leading by example,” said Gilbert Licudi, Minister for Education. “Project based learning is already making a real difference to improve our society. “Our children and the work that teachers are doing in this area should be commended and encouraged.”
BEFORE AND AFTER: Fabian Picardo (left) clutchess EU flag, which was replaced with that of the Commonwealth
THE leader of Unidas Podemos in Andalucia has backed the Rock’s right to decide its own future. In a visit to Gibraltar last week, Teresa Rodriguez was keen to forge a deal so cross-frontier workers would be able to cross the border without delays. She said that a Podemos MP had asserted that the future of the Rock had to be decided
Border support
by Gibraltarians, as opposed to views held by Spain’s right-wing parties. “There is a section of the patriotic Spaniards that understands that sovereignty is a
flag as opposed to everyone deciding what they can do with their lives,” said Rodriguez. “That is also a right we want to give to the workers of the region.” Rodriguez led her party, Unidas Podemos, to 17 seats in the 2018 Andalucian elections and is currently their spokesperson in the region.
“We have received reassurances from the Government of Gibraltar that there is a plan which will be put into action over the coming months,” said Rodriguez. “They have indicated they will protect workers’ rights with the UK and that is something we will be able to communicate to the workers of the area.”
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Plastic pledge CHILDREN from a local primary School have asked Gibraltar’s three main supermarkets to cut back their use of plastic. Pupils from St Joseph’s primary school handed letters to head offices at Morrisons, Eroski and Coviran as part of the ClimACT schools initiative. Headteacher Dr Terence Ocana said: “There is plastic in everything that we have.”
DERELICT housing in Gibraltar could become a thing of the past after a successful campaign by a Gibraltar pressure group. Action for Housing recently took government ministers on a tour of shame so they could see the torrid conditions of mainly pre-war flats in the old town. Their final conclusions will soon be aired on local TV. “We visited nearly 100 flats over the course of the past year,” Action for Housing spokesman and renowned social activist Henry Pinna told the Olive Press. “Action for Housing
NEWS
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Hope for homes then invited the government ministers for housing and the environment to do an audit of the housing onsite.” Pinna, formerly Gibraltar ombudsman, said his work has put the issue ‘on the social map’ which should finally lead to these people being rehoused by the government. “Eventually the landlords will recover
Action for Housing get close to resolving long-term housing problem with government
these empty sites so they can restore or rebuild them from scratch,” added Pinna. “Otherwise the issue becomes entrenched in the different positions and it gets nowhere.” The shocked reactions of ministers Steven Linares and John Cortes
can be seen in a forthcoming episode of Viewpoint to be shown on GBC. Pinna was recently in the news for representing the views of an illegally evicted tenant in what he believes were ‘shameful’ scenes. The case to evict the woman and child
who had run out of money was reported to the Commissioner of Police who assured the group it would not happen again. “If the landlords want to fast-track the process, they should do so within the law by talking to the government,” he added.
Phoney claims?
Mini Monaco
OCEAN Village could extend its complex with 100 new luxury apartments and a superyacht marina, it has been revealed. The plans will see a large piece of land being reclaimed to
February 5th - February 18th 2020
By Diexter Thomas
the south west of the Sunborn floating hotel. Small boat berths will be increased to almost 300 with ten superyachts able to moor alongside the multi-million pound development.
CHIEF Minister Fabian Picardo has assured Parliament there is no reason to fear the 5G masts set to be erected around Gibraltar. It followed a question from the leader of the opposition, Keith Azopardi, asking what steps the Government is taking to work out if there is any risk to the public. Since the beginning, the technology has proved to be controversial with questions raised by NGOs and individuals over its potential health issues. The importance of 5G is that it could allow driverless vehicles, remote surgery and sig-
nificantly faster data speeds for all users with 5G devices. The Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (GRA) manages the electromagnetic spectrum in Gibraltar and is expected to monitor the radiation levels to make sure they are safe enough. “The Government does not consider that there are any credible reasons to think that there may be any public health risk arising from the proposed roll-out of 5G services across Gibraltar,” Picardo said. “If there were, the government would not consider allowing the roll-out of 5G services in any part of Gibraltar.”
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FEATURES
www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain
A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than one million people a month.
OPINION Facebook failure Companies such as Pet Taxi Transport highlight the ease with which anybody in the digital world can set up a ‘company’ and charge for services remotely. In many cases without any paperwork or licences. Yet it also highlights the perils of failing to undertake due-diligence. With an enormous amount of companies across all sectors, it can be difficult to know which is legitimate and which is bogus. It is equally hard to know if that 5-star rating was earned or is faked. Yet when a company such as Pet Taxi doesn’t even have the correct registration to carry out the simplest of jobs it is important for media groups like ours to step in and expose them. For one thing’s for certain, the likes of Facebook are not going to do it.
No turning back now Brexit… well it’s finally happened. After more than three years of uncertainty, we now have more... uncertainty. What has actually changed? To all the Brexiteers, we ask, what has changed in your life this week that wasn’t the same last week? The common answer people tend to give is ‘we got our country back, we got our sovereignty back’. Hurrah. But what does that actually mean? Until 2021 nothing will change as we’re still in the transition period. One thing that changes every day though is the uncertainty and the rumours. All we can really do is sit back, wait and see what January 2021 brings. Even though we almost all voted Remain, we genuinely want Brexit to be a success, for our families and loved ones who still live in the UK and for our futures in case we ever move back. Do we think it’ll be a success? Now that’s a different matter.
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February 5th - February 18th 2020
‘Brextranjeros’ were nowhere to be found on the night the UK ‘took back control’ from the EU, writes Charlie Smith
48.1% REMAIN
51.9% LEAVE
TIME’S UP S O are the shackles finally off or are we about to embark on one of the messiest and costly divorces in history? Maybe both. It depends who you listen to. But one thing is for sure. When the clock struck 12 on January 31, the UK officially left the European Union and we expats in Spain were all made ‘Brextranjeros’, as the Olive Press is dubbing you. It only took three prime ministers and 1,316 days of parliamentary bickering, but we are finally here. Possibly to his eternal discredit, Boris got it done and Brexit is happening. As Nigel Farage joyfully told the European Parliament this week, waving his Union Jack. Only one question remains though... to celebrate or commiserate? On Brexit night, the Olive Press dropped into popular Kinsales bar, in Duquesa Port. ITV News were also broadcasting live from the popular expat watering hole. We didn’t spot anyone weeping into a vino tinto or triumphantly sinking pints of Carling. Nor did anyone draw inspiration from Spanish New Year’s Eve and gobble down a dozen scotch eggs as the clock struck 12. On the stroke of midnight (11pm UK time) one man clapped. A very British way to see in this new era of British history. The words of T.S. Eliot’s poem The Hollow Men seemed very apt in summing up the night’s partying – or lack of. “This is the way the world ends. “Not with a bang but with a whimper.” Remain voter Brian Forgie, 57, told the Olive Press that ‘Brexit was a f**k up’ and he was just here to ‘enjoy a drink’. “This is beyond England, Scotland and everything. “The Southeast of England has just sucked everything into itself. “There’s so much in the EU that
VARIETY: Different ways the press marked Brexit departure
we don’t understand.” Other British expats in Spain were also out on Brexit night, regardless of whether they were Brexiteers (unlikely if you’re an Olive Press reader as our 75/25% poll last year discovered, more of which later) or Remainers. One fiercely British Remainer, 64-year-old Paul Darwent, hosted an ironic Brexit bash up in the hills on the way to Ronda. The expat of 22 years put on a ‘tongue-incheek’ evening of poetry, food, music and comedy at his popular Bar Allioli in Jimera de Libar. Think beans on toast, tunes like Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again and buckets of nostalgia on ice. One person who definitely didn’t celebrate was Anne Hernandez (above), President of Brexpats in Spain which is fighting for the rights of British residents here. “I feel violated,” she told the Olive Press, speaking ahead
Brexit in numbers 700,000
Britons actually living in Spain
365,967
Britons registered as living in Spain
180,000 9,000 60%
Spaniards registered in UK Spanish cross-border workers in Gibraltar
British expats who couldn’t vote in 2016 referendum or last general election
of midnight, “I feel a personal ‘A new dawn for Britain’, was sense of bereavement, and tothe Daily Mail’s splash, while night I will be losing my identity. the Daily Express opted for the “I’ll be sitting indoors crying totedious ‘Rise and shine...it’s a night, I’ll be having a strong cup glorious new Britain’. of coffee. Among the most self-aggran“How can people celebrate losdising was the Daily Telegraph, ing their rights? It’s barbaric, 47 boasting in an eight-page Brexit years of history erased. supplement how its former col“My big question is, who is umnist (Boris Johnson) made it the UK going to blame when it into Downing Street and led the leaves and it can’t use the EU as country into a new era. a scapegoat?” The Daily Star went with the end Meanwhile, across the border of Dry January. on the Rock, Fabian Picardo’s Meanwhile, others chose to Gibraltar marked the EU deparoptimistically look ahead ture with a ‘short and solemn’ to even more holidays in EU flag lowering to the glorious Europe post-Brexit, insounds of Beethoven’s Ode to cluding English journalist Joy. and theatre critic Quentin The CommonLetts (bewealth flag is to low). replace the EU Writing in Please sit flag. The Sun, Further afield, down, resume he said: “The other Brexit celebends your seats and hairpin brations included of Monte Carlo, some pathetic bleat of Pyreput your flags the Union Jack-wavnean mountain away ing by Nigel goats, the canals Farage and his and bong shops Eurosceptic croof Amsterdam, nies in the European Parliament Scandinavia’s fjords and frisky in Brussels. midsummer freedoms, plus all The Brexit Party leader’s anthose amazing, bewildering, tics were swiftly cut short by beautiful languages and literavice-president Mairead Mctures and cooking styles: Europe Guiness, who turned off his miwill continue to exert her magicrophone, adding: “Please cal allure on us.” sit down, resume your Local Mijas Councillor seats, put your flags Bill Anderson, who away and take them became the first Brit with you if you’re to take up the post in leaving now.” the town’s 40 years Teary-eyed Reof democracy, was main-supporting slightly more meaMEPs also comsured than Letts. memorated the ap“Tonight I’m having proaching B-Day by dinner at home with breaking into a rendimy Spanish wife,” he tion of Auld Lang Syne. told the Olive Press before Farage’s anti-EU revelry was midnight, “I’m definitely not gomatched by the front pages of ing to any Brexit parties. Britain’s right-wing press, which “Some are going to drown their invoked patriotic sentiment with sorrows I’m sure, but for me, images of the White Cliffs of Doit’s not a chance to celebrate, I ver and Big Ben. think a lot of British people will
February 5th - February 18th 2020
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VARIETY: Different ways the press marked Brexit departure be affected. “The biggest effect in the short term will be on the national police, because we’ll all have to be registered. We’re foreigners, no longer EU citizens. “The police have been preparing for this for a long time, in Fuengirola they have been taking on more staff.” Fellow Mijas councillor, Arancha Lopez, highlighted the ‘importance’ of the 8,842 Brits registered in the municipality. She said: “The British in Mijas are one of the pillars of our residential tourism and a fundamental part of the Mijas society and economy.”
Changes
But beyond January 31, when the tiresome catchphrases, such as ‘taking back control,’ are a distant memory, what, if anything will actually change? Aside from a commemorative 50p coin and blue passports, most things will actually remain the same during the 11-month transition period, which ends on December 31 (See box). Unless it’s extended, which has got to be a distinct possibility. One thing that could change on New Year’s Day 2021 is pensions. For those still set on making Spain their retirement destination after that, current pension guarantees will not necessarily apply from December 3 1 and your state pension may be frozen. Unless guarantees are renewed,
some 650,000 Brit pensioners across the EU will no longer see their pension increase each year in line with wage growth, inflation or by 2.5% (whichever figure is higher). Despite claims to the contrary by the British embassy and consulates, nothing has been set in stone. For the 365,967 Britons registered in Spain (the actual number of Brits in Spain is closer to 700,000) Spain issued a royal decree last year effectively guaranteeing several rights – healthcare, freedom of movement and the right to work. Brits living in Spain are advised to check the Government website for more information, but crucially should make sure they are registered on the padron, registered as a foreigner, have enough time left on their passport and have exchanged their driving license for a Spanish one.
Updated But as we embark upon a new chapter of European history, the Olive Press is still here to keep you updated. And we will do so on an almost daily basis most likely. Despite a recent poll by a downmarket jingoistic rag revealing that 81% of its readers would be out celebrating Brexit night, we expect the vast majority of you reading this (and not the loud rabble-rousers on Facebook) are still licking your wounds. According to our own poll of thousands last year some 25% of Olive Press readers supported Brexit – still a staggeringly high number, given our location. At the Olive Press we continue to fly the European flag on our front page every fortnight. Our passports may be about to change colour, but we will always be European and will continue to bring you the top stories from around Gibraltar, Andalucia and Spain.
V
EUROTRASH
Known unknowns Blue passports
They are set to make a return, more than three decades since they replaced the existing burgundy-coloured versions. The ‘iconic’ blue and gold design, which was first used in 1921, will be slowly introduced, with all new passports to be blue by around July.
Brexit 50p
Around three million of the new coins will be brought into circulation. They are inscribed with ‘January 31’ and ‘Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations’, will enter circulation on Friday’. Some Remainers, including Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair’s former spin doctor, have already said ‘won’t use’ the new mint.
they
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
During the transition period, you can still use these cards, which provide UK nationals with state-provided medical treatment. However, whether or not you can use the card after the end of this year is still to be negotiated.
Budget contributions
The UK will continue to make payments to the EU budget during the transition period. This means that current EU grants will still be funded.
IGNORED: Jessie from Eastenders, Iran and the yawns of Megxit
W
HILE other websites bring you the news from Scotland, Iran and - yes - the soap opera Eastenders, we at the Olive Press stick to stories on Spain. Ignoring bombings in Baghdad, skirting around Megxit (unless there’s a Spanish angle), and avoiding the row between Hugh Grant and Piers Morgan, we concentrate on the country we’re in. Sticking to the core values we established 14 years ago, we bring you content from around the whole of Europe’s most vibrant nation. Be this flooding in Alicante, a missing teenager in Teruel, or a food festival in Fuengirola, we vow to cover it. With a dozen-plus qualified journalists (all writing in their REAL names) we are able to provide a comprehensive round-up of everything important and interesting happening in Spain. Indeed, ours is the only resource expats interested in Spain need to use, not to mention tourists arriving here in their millions each month. With dozens of stories a day and over 1,400 links (none paid for) from global sites - including the BBC, Daily Mail and New York Post - is it any wonder we are getting over a million readers a month. Visit www.theolivepress.es and see how much content we have... and if you’ve got a business just how much exposure we can give you. Here are the top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are:
1
- WATCH: Emergency declared in Spain’s Malaga as cars left stacked upon each other and homes and businesses wrecked while freak hail leaves cars in Marbella (32,417)
2 3
- Flights diverted from Malaga airport as orange level warning activated for Spain’s Costa del Sol (31,395)
4
- EXCLUSIVE: Missing British man speaks out in tell-all interview after he’s found two months following his disappearance (29,947)
- IN PICS: Parts of Spain see ‘worst snow in 50 years’ as Storm Gloria kills EIGHT while others still missing in Mallorca and Ibiza (14,708)
5
- BREAKING: lethal Chinese Coronavirus fear as suspected case in Andalucia, southern Spain (13,709)
Get in touch today at sales@theolivepress.es or call us at 00 34 951273575 for a special quote
8
NEWS
www.theolivepress.es
LONE WOLF TARGETED A TOWN hall has authorised the hunting of a lone wolf, which they believe is responsible for attacks on its farmers’ livestock. Alava has sanctioned the hunting drive in the Gibijo mountains after a petition was launched by farmers. In total, the mammal has been blamed for the deaths of 131 animals, mostly sheep, since May last year. Its stalking can only be conducted by authorised hunters. There are estimated to be 240 packs in the north of Spain. It is legal to hunt wolves in Galicia, Cantabria and Castilla y León.
By Dilip Kuner
TOURISTS are being warned to watch out for an alarming spate of drink spikings in Spain. The American embassy in Madrid has put out a security alert after a rise in sex assaults against its citizens. It is now urging Americans to take precautions against predators by watching out for spiked drinks and avoiding being alone. In a message on its website, it warned: “The Spanish Ministry of Interior reports a steady increase in the number of sexual assaults over the past five years. “This includes a rise in sexual assault against young US visitors and students throughout Spain. “US victims of sexual assault can find it very difficult to
February 5th - February 18th 2020
Spiking alert 2
US embassy issues sex attack warning telling public to ‘watch out’ for drinks spiking navigate the local criminal justice system, which differs significantly from the US system. “We urge US citizens to take precautions against sexual assault during their stay in
2
CRIME the --September - September 2014 NEWS theolive olivepress press August 7 - 4 August 20 201417 7 - August 20 2014
the olive press - August
www.theolivepress.es
s
CRIME Tech fights SMASH NEWS
nd Rape victim demaexecuted ‘Scarface’ justice the spiking
insists potential victims A Norwegian expat after she was drugged and need to be warned, assaulted in Alicante
drinkspiking
www.theolivepress.es
Olive Press Spiking campaign hits UK media
have BIG developments been made by tech experts into preventing drink-spiking. I A UK-based company has jump out of the window, small developed ‘Spikey’, a would have.” tube and stopper Despite numerous identity plastic glass most E into who fits EXCLUSIV expat that parades, the confessions A NORWEGIAN d a pre- bottles to prevent people By Imogen Calderwoo of all three men and was drugged and brutally in the is deliminary hearing dropping substances raped on a night out story felt in March in front drink. termined to have her to her side to a taxi rank, and I them that of a Benidorm Clubs can even order told and bring justice safe because I was sure there is in bulk to hand out to their judge, attackers. roccan drugpatrons. lord as he was the taxi driver would realise ascase was court no she wrong. still after A year EXCLUSIVEsomething was fancy a bottled don’t shooting sitting in the cafe, If you pending. after being drugged “But then one of the three saulted is here to By Jacqueline Fanchini drink then “Everything in an Albir bar, in Alicante guys walked to the driver’s him injust the back of pd.id the head by David takes so long. I help. Developed technolgot in, and I reprovince, Goril Hvidsten to side andwas his taxi. an- Wilson,to a medical as he attempted flee. right want her only waived it has DUTCH drug dealer alised this small, USB A and no one ogy swers always told to get a anonymity in an attempt Known as expert,‘Scarface’, lives vic- “You’re night out can give me them. drive-sized device flashes known aspotential ‘Scarface’ - home has after athe to warn other taxi Bouyakhrichan was and one safest a Spanish in your drink I have tims. it has been tam- THE Olive Press drinkme, because been executedto outside anthat’s and he’s whenevertop lawyer “If this has happened know, way. But it was these men JUSTICE NEEDED: Goril Hvidsten on of Amsterdam’s crime I trying to help pered with. exclusive shopping centre, and to other people and (inset) Goril’s that attacked me.” be synced and Itwas heavily in-to a spiking campaign has can even but it’s just how many other Hvidsten was driven to the the road to recovery, the brutal attack me,bosses who knows and give noti- been making headlines just yards from ex-England are,” the day after smartphone system here. thevolved countless victims there Olive Romanian man’s apart- injuries in drug trafficking, raped that crushed three front teeth the fications when the chemical in the UK. manager Fabio Capello’s There are so many excuses. Hvidsten, 48, told ment, where she was drink cocaine. of your Press has composition three men. that Hvidsten was The Olive particularly Press. The Guardian picked home. who by all identity parades on three clude e, launched campaign changes. a He is gsaid “What about the girls and “They were so relaxed, like of drugged with Scolapamin occasions. in to have marked their 40s BouyakhExpat had done this before,to different aren’t in Samir showed otherwise known as burun- against drink-spikin come to go they it was Caption cocaine blocks with up on our campaign an exclusive an everyday The bar-owner Spain, afterhis aren’t strong like danga, previously reported an richan, 36,enough from AmsterCCTV footage of Hvidsten inves- investigationstamps revealed such as ‘AK’, ‘Mit- aims, also highlighting to the police, that are suffer- thing. on in the Olive Press Monte Halcones shopping to other taxi day. the men dam-West, as he into drink-spiking alarming absence of statisman left early because and one Two ing in silence.” was shot and “One tigation area, the in in men approached and subishi’, and ‘Vuitton’, the absence of official statisdrivers in Benahavis, in the - who arrived back to driving tics and advice for tourists. Hvidsten he had in Spain. tics and the need to end the left the ‘All in 1’ -cafe theto go centre, was in aims identified the Romanian executed fast- The campaign, which served the Dutch-Mowhich as quality inAlbir in August 2013 she his taxi. drug is powerful, The brother. early hours of last Thursown his as toursafety for current culture of victimoutside the bar whenthree “It was so brutal that I was manthree men have admit- acting and notoriously sim- to improve dicators for his customers. All administer as it does ists, has three simple aims: was approached by and a bruised and scarred all over, of ted to having sex with Hvid- ple to but more statistics, Hebetter waspolicregistered as workmen: two Spaniards and they crushed three not need to be ingested sten, but deny the charges advice. teeth. ing, clearer ing Romanian. merely inhaled. as an estate agent, with drugging and raping her. of get in beers my front must “He had it on his finger and If you would like to Press “I had only had two But “When it was over one go of it touch with the “The doctors say I the Olive company Albina Propso I was far from drunk. because just reached over and put them said ‘Okay, you can drugged been camhave the was of out.” I completely me kicked my nose, and about any aspect suddenly I was re- now’ and erties 2009 SL, registered of the violence I endured,” under his spell for seven paign, email newsdesk@ out of control. I don’t the Hvidsten reported the crime under Hvidsten. five argued from Altea ss.es in much police in Malaga since 2008. the member some to theafter the assault, and Medical reports from con- hours. had asked me to theolivepre next seven hours, but days “If they However, sources insisted out Hospital Comarcal things are very clear. out- has picked her attackers walking gangs are being targeted this was merely a front for STUDENTS have invented CRIMINAL “I remember biker
Expat drug lord shot in the head in exclusive Costa del Sol shopping centre, just yards from the home of former England manager Fabio Capello and close to Zagaleta
FLASHBACK: Our spiking Gang-dalucia - as police campaign and back issues crack down on biker gangs and investigations’ to avoid gang culture by Spanish authorities as their popularity developing across the country. grows. It added that these gangs have a long traThe police are investigating a number of ledition of criminal activity, including drug gitimate businesses in Andalucia that have dealing and trafficking, extortion, money been set up in the hotel and restaurant seclaundering and violent crimes. tor, that are being run merely to hide illegal Andalucia has become a hot-bed for biker activity. gangs with the largest chapter of the SatThey are also looking at the motoring and udarah MC gang - set up in Holland - now real estate sector. located in Southern Spain. "These businesses are run of exclusively by Biker gangs like the Hell’s Angels – with our helping yearsnetworks After gang members and10 conceal whose strong followings in Germany and the Spain, in buy safely purpose is tocustom hide the of the illegal ersprofits Netherlands – are growing in Spain. Costa activities committedopene in their countries of new There are currently 80 biker-related d our origin,” said we’ve a spokesman for the Interior criminal investigations under way in Eueven it del Sol office to make Ministry. rope ty! including murder and attempted proper dream your activity The police will ‘increase preventive to find murder. easier
Nailing date-rape
his real job. Police and an ambulance were soon on the scene but medics were unable to save the victim. The gunmen remain at large although the motive is believed to have been a settling of scores, related to the theft of a cocaine shipment sent to Belgium. Despite his high profile, authorities have systematically been unable to produce sufficient evidence to warrant a conviction.
perty Spain.” Find your dream pro There have been several high-profile cases of alleged sexual assault in recent years. The case of three American sisters who made complaints of rape and sexual aggression to From property agents all the legal advice, we have in one place. expertise you need
a colourful way for clubbers to check if their drinks have been spiked. Under the name Undercover Colours, the North Carolina State University entrepreneurs have developed a nail varnish that changes colour when it touches daterape drugs. The idea is that the wearer can stir their drink, and the colour-change will alert them to the presence of drugs like Rohypnol and GHB.
Drinkspiking outcry silenced
The Olive Press launches a campaign against drink-spiking, see page 2
olive press
the
In your face!
Olive Press discovers shameless, jailed and struck off nurse giving botox injections on Costa del Sol
ay! tod following a New Year’s Eve party in Murcia made international headlines before Christmas. Three Lebanese men, who deny the allegations, were arrested then released on bail.
the spiking
World of its Own
The sisters aged 18, 20 and 23 flew back to Ohio and are being kept informed of police inquiries. The Olive Press launched a campaign against drink spiking in 2014.
com
info@spainbuyingguide. spainbuyingguide.com
LAZING on a sun lounger with unparalleled views across five months of the year. The 40-foot high pile of dirt has the Straits of Gibraltar to Morocco’s Atlas mountains. been excavated from the neighbouring hillside to make way property agents to That was the life of British expat Steve BlundellFrom in Marbella, for legal advice, we have all the a new development of 25 homes called The Cape. expertise place. and his neighbours have filed a denuncia against debefore a new property development ‘blocked’ his view.you need in oneSteve The Solihull financial worker, 55, is demanding action over veloper Gugu Home, while they calculate the giant earth a huge pile of rubble that has left his view of 20 years ‘oblit- mound will cost €1 million to shift. erated’. He is fuming that an enormous pile of construction “Our view has been completely ruined by this pile of rubrubble was dumped just me- ble,” Steve told the Olive Press, “Our houses are covered in tres in front of his swimming dust. 694 473 055 pool. “Everyone is extremely angry, people spent their life savings info@spainbuyingguide.com He has now filed a denuncia, on this place. spainbuyingguide.com alongside neighbours, to have “The reason I bought this house in 2000 was 100% because the 1,000 tonnes of construc- of the view. tion debris urgently removed. “You can see Gibraltar and the Atlas mountains, it’s the best It currently ruins the mostly view on the Costa del Sol.” green Cabopino urbanization, Prices for the new ‘Cape’ homes, on the first line of Cabopiwhere the dad-of-two spends no Golf Course start at €750,000. Malaga
Mapping The Drifters...
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694 473 055
Centro Comercial Cala Sol Boulevard La Cala 17 29649 La Cala de Mijas Mijas Costa
My new golden goal
SMASH
SMASH
blaming. The nathe tional spiking broadsheet was interested to discover how other countries and clubs are tackling it. The in-depth investigation was looking into the amount of victims who do not come forward for fear of not being believed. It highlighted how the serious crime of drugging drinks - which can lead to a prison sentence of up to five years - is often being ignored around the UK and Europe. It supported our campaign and appealed for more victims to come forward. To read the article, visit www.theguardian.com
GETTING READY TO RUMBLE Sol Centro Comercial Cala 17 Boulevard La Cala
Let HiFX help you
THE British Consulate has joined the offensive against reach your sexual attacks in Spanish holdestination. iday hotspots. Vol. 8 Issue 193 www.theolivepress.es August 7 - August 20 2014 Will Middleton, the British www.hifx.co.uk consular director for Spain, instigated a series of dramatic posters warning British tourists how to stay safe on nights out. ‘Don’t walk home alone or with someone you don’t trust, it could cost you your life’, read one poster. ‘Keep an eye on your drink: It only takes a second for your night out to book, Linkedin and by word turn into a nightmare’, said of mouth, operates out of his another. own home as well as visiting However, Ibiza’s tourist inclients’ both on the coast and Hill, 52, was also struck off in dustry has shockingly siExclusive regularly back in England. a hearing of the Nursing and lenced Middleton’s attempt The UK Nursing Council’s By Tom P0well Midwifery Council in August to crackdown on drink-spikhearing report on Hill, who ing and sexual assaults by A MENTAL health nurse who 2011, banning him from pracqualified as a mental health Recently retired Premiership banning the posters. was sacked and jailed for tor- tising as a nurse in England. nurse in 1983, states: “There footballer-turned-MarbellaThe Consulate’s warnings turing an 85-year-old demen- But he did not attend the is no evidence before the businessman David Bentley come just weeks after the tia patient is giving botox in- hearing, with UK newspapers panel of either insight or reon living in Spain reporting he was working at a Olive Press launched its own jections on the Costa del Sol. morse.” campaign against drink-spikSee Page 21 David Hill was imprisoned botox clinic in Spain. A spokeswoman for the ing – called Smash the Spikfor six months in 2010, after Fast forward four years and Council, Ann Brown, told the pleading guilty to ‘degrading the Olive Press has traced Olive Press that by moving to and humiliating’ wheelchair- Hill, now living with his wife Spain, Hill now comes under bound Dorothy Tunstall at a in a luxury villa in the Atalaya ‘the jurisdiction of the equivUK care home in St Helens, development, Estepona, and alent Spanish authority’. working as a self-employed Liverpool. Hill: Jailed for abuse Judge Robert Warnock told ‘aesthetic practitioner’. No remorse Hill at Liverpool Crown But when client Natalie Rose Court: “You grossly abused discovered his unsavoury what he had done in St Hel- “He cannot practise as a nurse your patient’s trust, appar- past via a Google search, she ens I was amazed, shocked in England but according to a February 2014 report, it apently for your own perverse immediately raised the alarm and upset. “My mum had dementia and pears non-registered people bell. enjoyment. “You force-fed her, you “I’ve known David for three he was so sympathetic with can still administer Botox in flicked food in her face and years, I even introduced him me, but now I am appalled, he the UK,” she confirmed. you put her in a hoist and to people in Coin and helped must have no shame,” added However, the Spanish minisspun her around when you him advertise on Facebook,” Rose, who has lived in Coin try of health confirmed that British expat Rose told the with her family for 11 years. to administer botox in Spain, Retracing seminal 1960s’ knew she was terrified.” Olive Press. “When I saw Hill, who advertises on Face- you must be a qualified doc- Costa del Sol novel ing – following an exclusive tor and registered. investigation into attacks in See Page 22 And the Ocean Clinic in MarSpain’s most popular holiday bella confirmed: “You need destinations. to be a qualified doctor to adThe investigation revealed a minister Botox in Spain, and complete absence of official registered with the Ministry statistics in Spain regardof Health.” ing reports of drink-spiking When contacted by the Olive – from police, hospitals and Press, Hill stated that he is a town halls – despite rumours ‘fully trained and legal aesthat this type of crime is on thetic practitioner’, working the increase. in both Spain and England. Our aims are simple: more “I was told I did not need a statistics, better policing, certificate from the Ministry clearer advice. of Health to administer botox The Olive Press is currently and fillers in Spain,” he said, in communication with the while expressing no remorse British consul, town halls in for his previous actions. A look at the high life in Continues page 2 More than 65,000 people sign petition demanding a stop to Donkey “I went to prison for some- our Sotogrande supplement carousels - see page 11 thing I didn’t do,” he claimed. See Pages 25-31
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It came after an investigation discovered that dozens of people had become victims during nights out on the Costa del Sol. One victim was BBC sports reporter Alan Tait who woke up the next day in a ‘coma-like state’ after being drugged The issue is understood to have worsened over recent years.
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LA CULTURA That’s the Forget Notting Hill ticket
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February 5th - February 18th 2020
Spain’s most famous palace just made it a whole lot easier to get tickets
THE Alhambra Palace has a new system for ticket sales making prices far fairer. From next month, 70% of tickets will be made available for purchase only via the official website, call centre, or in person at the site. The attraction – which was recently ranked number 11th most popular European destination – allows only a certain amount of visitors every day.
This means that tickets need to be bought well in advance and last minute tourists go to extreme lengths to get one. Until now, a staggering 49% of tickets went to travel agencies, with only 29% being available to the general public. However the system had its flaws as some agencies reserve tickets three months before possible use and do not have to confirm or pay for them until three days
before. The system led to corruption and over-pricing and meant that if the agencies didn’t sell them they were often going unused. Many agencies sold the tickets at inflated prices, often to secondary agencies or individuals, who charged up to ten times the actual price. The Granada monument attracts 2.7 million visitors each year, making it Spain’s most visited attraction.
Happy days
Happiness for Humans by P. Z. Reizin
Buried treasure
what’s on
M
aternal tips
ATTENTION all mums! Learn how to take care of your mental and physical health at a breastfeeding workshop at 6pm on February 6 in King’s Bastion Leisure Centre.
G
etting invested
LEARN what’s new in business at the GFSB Annual General Meeting that takes place in its boardroom at 6pm on February 6 in 122 Irish Town.
S
tudying option
ANYONE wishing to learn a new subject could visit the Gibraltar University Open Day in its Europa Point Campus at 6pm on February 12.
C
reative thinking
TAKE part in art, drama, poetry and music workshops at the The Youth Arts Jamboree starting on February 17 at John Mackintosh Hall.
A NEW Costa del Sol hotel will have a fabulous extra attraction. Estepona’s Ikos Andalucia hotel has a Roman site on its grounds. Workers at the swish spa resort on El Saladillo beach, Guadalmansa, unearthed a series of pools used in the processing and preparation
THE annual Carnaval de Casares returns on March 7, promising a cracking family day out, with plenty on offer for little ones. The event kicks off at 12:00pm with a children’s costume party and a parade later in the day. There will also be various games, prizes and then an adult’s party, which is set to last until midnight.
This is a modern take on the idea of ‘The Gods’ interfering in the lives of humans. In this case it is the form of a sentient, selfaware AI named Aiden who decides to play cupid. Jen is a journalist who has been hired by a tech company to interact with Aiden so it can sound more human. However, no one realises that Aiden has escaped onto the internet. When Jen is dumped by her boyfriend, Aiden decides to find her the perfect partner. Reizin had written a heart-warming romantic comedy with elements of a mystery. The characters are endearing and the story is witty, original and fun. €11.90, Available from The Bookshop San Pedro - www.thebookshop.es
of fish sauces (garum) and salted fish - a large part of Andalucia’s economy in Roman times. A large collection of first century pottery has also been found. The ruins will be preserved as an additional attraction in the hotel gardens.
LIGHTING UP HISTORY A TOP Gibraltar historian has vowed to ‘inspire young people’ after being named Beacon Professor at the exclave’s university. Clive Finlayson, Gibraltar museum director, chose to speak on his work with archaeology, geology, biology, history and heritage in his first Beacon lecture. “My aim is to try to inspire young people with the benefit of my years of work and thinking,” Finlayson told the Olive Press. “I want to integrate all my disciplines as we have become too specialised in this day and age. “If I can help raise the profile of the university then I hope this will be a positive contribution.” The internationally recognised Gibraltarian is known for his work excavating Gorham’s Cave, where several important artefacts have been discovered. Finlayson’s Beacon lecture titled Ghosts of Time will be held in Gibraltar university on February 6 at 7pm.
UP to 20 speakers will take part in Gibraltar’s version of the TED talks next month. GibTalks has been going from strength to strength in recent years with members of the community from all walks of life telling their stories. Speakers will include politicians Steven Linares and Damon Bossino, football agent
Talking big Kenneth Asquez and cancer researcher Youssef El-Hana. They will talk for 15 strictly-timed minutes about stories they would like to share with a lot of young voices coming to the stage.
They will be accompanied by four 10-minute chats from some individuals outside the public sphere. GibTalks will be held on February 1 at the John Mackintosh Hall Theatre.
INSPIRED: GibTalks return to Rock next month with up to 20 speakers
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February 5th - February 18th 2020
Tucked away in a rugged mountain redoubt north of Granada is Castellón Alto, an ancient abandoned settlement that should be on your must-see list this year. And it’s not just the breathtaking views that will captivate you, writes Nick Nutter
Y
LA CULTURA
The Secret Acropolis
OU need to go back to between 2200 BC and 1550 BC, that the Argaric people roamed the south of Spain. Covering southeast of the Iberian peninsula, from Granada to Alicante and from Almeria to Ciudad Real, these ancient Bronze Age folk were way before their time. Indeed, thousands of years
CLOSE TO HOME: Burial ‘cysts’ were often under the house before the Romans they developed expertise in using bronze, particularly for weaponry, as well as creating sophisticated pottery and ceramic techniques. They also mined and worked silver and gold and, above all, developed a more sophisticated society than anything that had come before. For starters, the old fashioned
communal tombs were abandoned in favour of individual burials in ‘cysts’, often beneath each family’s own dwelling. There also appeared to be three levels of society. The upper and middle classes had access to metal and weapons and the lower class were basically slaves. The refinement of their work in metals and pottery allowed them to extend a trading network established by their predecessors, the people of Los Millares. These people are known today as the ‘Argaric people’ and their culture is called the Argar culture. It was about 1900 BC that the Argaric people built a fortified settlement near the village of Galera (pop: 1,130) in Granada’s little-visited and populated Altiplano region. On a craggy spur on the banks in the valley, each separated of the river Castillejar, the from the other by three kiloplace became metres. known as CasAt its peak, Castellón Alto, and tellón Alto is beSocial structure it is an amazing lieved to have was determined housed about place for both histor y -lover s 80 inhabitants and anyone by which terrace and it grew unwith a joy of each family lived til around 1600 getting out into BC, when it was on nature. suddenly abanThe site covers doned. about half a Built on a spur hectare and overlooks a fer- of the river, terraces were cut tile plain known as the Baza– out of the rock to provide a flat Huescar plateau, the two key surface on which the houses towns of the surrounding area. were built. It is one of four Argaric sites Each house had a low stone
BOUNDARIES: Spain was divided by tribal lines in 2000 BC
foundation sat on the bedrock and then posts, made of pine, supported the walls and roof. The posts were set in the bedrock and held firmly in place with wooden wedges. Two further posts acted as door jambs, while the door itself comprised of an esparto grass mat, similar to the ones still woven in Andalucia today. The walls were cane or interwoven branches of tamarisk, broom, poplar, willow or rushes, bound together with mud or gypsum plaster. The flat roof was a frame of pine supporting interwoven material thickly impregnated with mud that then baked in the sun. But most interestingly was each inhabitant’s position in the social structure, which was determined by which terrace they lived on. The construction of the settlement, around a buttress of rock, made defence easy, the whole structure resembles a fortress. Crowning the settlement is an area called the Acropolis and it was up here, in this walled area, that the community leaders had their homes. A total of nine graves, all cyst type burials beneath the dwellings, have been found within the Acropolis, compared to a total of 130 tombs on the whole site. One of the Acropolis tombs
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February 5th - February 18th 2020
SCALE: The homes of the village leaders were at the top of the hill
SITE: Castellon Alto is in a rugged area contained a bowl, a jar, a halberd (a two-handed pole weapon) and, even, a short copper sword, all indicating the high position held by the deceased. Unfortunately, the other tombs on the Acropolis have been affected by erosion and clandestine pillaging. The Acropolis had its own wa-
ter cistern that would have been kept topped up by the serfs, who had to bring their own water as well up from the river far down below. As with modern towns, the settlement was not full built to start with, rather it developed over the whole period of occupation. The various phases
SINGLE IMPLANT
of construction are well explained at Castellรณn Alto. It is a great place to visit today and the majority of the site is well preserved and a huge amount of information has been gleaned about the Argar people and their culture. Anthropological study has shown that the people were typical Mediterranean types, of average height and slim build. The average height of a man was 1.67 metres and that of a woman 1.57 metres. A newborn child could expect to live about 23 years with only 3.5% surviving to the age of 60 years. The diet was primarily vegetarian with a little meat. Not unexpectedly the upper echelons of society tended to live longer and eat more meat.
DOORWAYS: Were made of elaborate esparto blinds that are still woven in Andalucia today
Why Castellon Alto was abandoned Beneath the settlement, extending down the valley sides to the irrigated land along the river, was a thick growth of holm-oak and Aleppo pine. The Argaric people of Castellรณn Alto denuded the valley sides of trees that they used for fuel and building. It is likely that this is the reason for it being abandoned after only 300 years.
Tours of Castellon Alto Tours of the site are conducted at set times and days throughout the year. Please check with the official website for opening times. The numerous informational plaques around the site are, unfortunately, only in Spanish, which is a pity because they display masses of information. The guide also only speaks Spanish. However, if when you book the tour, you ask for information in English, you will be presented with a plastic folder containing 16 sheets of A4 paper, each one a translation of the information on the plaques. For more info visit:
Nick Nutter owns travel website Visit Andalucia (www.visit-andalucia.com)
IMPLANT BRIDGE
www.juntadeandalucia.es/ cultura/enclaves/enclave-arqueologico-castellon-alto
IMPLANT DENTURE
LA CULTURA
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February 5th - February 18th 2020
Rewriting history ARCHAEOLOGIST Eliseo Gil has been told he faces a lengthy prison sentence and anonymity from the archaeological community after being accused of falsifying artefacts that had the potential to ‘rewrite the history books.’ The professor, along with his geologist partner, Oscar Escribano, are being tried for fraud and damaging heritage after they doctored findings from an important excavation at the old Roman settlement of Veleia, northern Spain. Gil became a ‘celebrity’ in the Basque country after he supposedly discovered a link between early Christianity, Ancient Egyptian and Northern Spanish cultures.
Vulgar
The discoveries were made back in 2006, when the archaeology world was stunned to be presented with artefacts from the third century AD with early images depicting the crucifixion as well as early Basque language. However, Gil soon became under suspicion after he presented his findings to language expert Joaquin Gorrochategui, who soon began to spot inconsistencies. He noticed that the Latin used on the inscriptions was ‘vulgar’ and contained numerous errors. Gil was soon removed of his concession to continue to work at the site, and now faces up to five and a half years in prison if it is proved that his findings were doctored.
BREAKING THE MOLD
H
ELD up by armed robbers in Britain, shunned by the art world in Belgium, forced to put down his brushes and take up the tools of a trade for half his working life – David Grice once earned five figures for some of his pieces but he also knows what it means to be a struggling artist. But that’s all hopefully in the past. From their new home in the picture postcard village of Canillas de Aceituno in the hills of the Axarquia David, his artist wife Carol and their three cats are starting a fresh canvas. Now in their 70s, the couple are desperately seeking an outlet to display David’s outstanding collection of avant garde sculptures and paintings and re-establish his name in the ultra competitive world of contemporary art. The first thing you notice when you walk in the door is walls filled with paintings and bass relief works. Each piece has a backstory, enthusiastically told with such detail you’d think they’d been finished yesterday, although some
“But we had to leave after He grew up in the we had a series of armed roberries. I came face to next town to David face with an intruder and Hockney and was was threatened with a we just had to making a name in the hammer; say enough is enough!” art world until life got in the way. 30 years Extraordinary Deciding to try their luck on, sculptor, poet and in Belgium, they set up painter David Grice is shop in Antwerp’s diadistrict. The Orthostaging his comeback mond dox Jewish neighbourfrom Spain, as James hood inspired David to create a collection of Warren reports surrealist paintings depieces go back to the 1970s. David has lived and breathed art since he was a lad. “You might say it’s in my blood,” he tells the Olive Press. He was an early pioneer of the recycled art movement, using discarded items to create cutting edge sculptures and inventing the startling ‘Super Surreal Baroque’ genre. A contemporary of world-renowned pop artist David Hockney, although nine years his junior, David grew up in the next door Yorkshire town of Saltaire, in the shadow of the now famous Salts Mill which houses one of the world’s largest Hockney collections. A rebel, like Hockney, he even studied graphic design at the same art college in Bradford. But from there, the artists’ paths diverged. After his parents’ break up, David was forced to give up his studies and went into the building trade with his uncle. He’d hit 40 by the time he could afford to give up his day job to focus full time on his artwork. Opening a gallery in Saltaire, he quickly made a name for himself, buying and selling antiques and artwork, often for price tags with four noughts. “We started the business from scratch, we found a ruin and did it up, put a car park in, restored the whole thing, it was lovely,” recalls Carol.
picting the extraordinary faces and characters he saw (see below). But the Belgium art world proving to be very insular and difficult to crack. “The locals did not care for foreigners and even more so foreign artists,” says David. After five years of trying to recover the momentum they’d gained in Britain, in 2010 they moved to Spain, renting a number of apartments before falling in love with Canillas. Since then David has been busy adding to his collection of spectacular sculptures using items of scrap, lovingly transformed into art through his deviant imagination. The pair still hope there is still a worldwide market for David’s surreal brand of sculpture, providing they can find an agent to help them promote their pieces to a wider audience. With luck, it will unlock the door back into the art world and bring some wfinancial stability to their Spanish idyll.
CREATIVE: David and one of his creations
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SURREAL: Orthodox Jews and a fish and (right) a version of a cross
PROPERTY THE BIG PICTURE 14
THE Overall Market is jittery with so many national and international issues potentially affecting both buyers and sellers.
Government Spain now has a left-wing government which has previously acted against the free movement of the property market and this appears likely to recur. In Andalucia, Murcia and Valencia where right-wing Juntas were elected in opposition to the Madrid Government, it’s more complicated. It may temper future policies but, from previous experience, we’re still likely to see reduced national investment.
World Conflict Heightened tension between Iran and other Middle East countries backed by the USA, together with the continuing belligerence of North Korea, is shaking confidence in the world economy, oil and finance mar-
kets. Whilst far from Spain, they affect the timing of decisions of potential buyers.
World Economy It’s already struggling due to Trade sanctions between the USA and other larger economies like China and the EU. o Interest rates are so low that, whilst they make mortgages very attractive, they leave national and regional economies fewer options to cushion the effects of any world economic downturn or to stimulate economies back to growth thereafter. o There is increasing concern that the current economic growth and debt based model may have run its course and that radical change is essential to take account of depletion of the world’s raw material resources and the Climate Crisis. o Again, these matters all affect buyer decisions along with the terms, availability and exchange rates of mortgages and other bank finance.
Brexit ‘No Deal’ is still a prospect. Despite having been removed from the table it’s back by default due to the need to have the basics of an interim agreement before European Council ratification over June 18/19. The Interim agreement period ends on 31st December 2020 and without accord, ‘No Deal’ appears to be the only alternative. o In addition, the UK Government’s tinkering with previously stated immigration ‘promises’ for EU citizens already in the UK or due to arrive this year is adding uncertainty to how Spain will play it, especially as the Spanish authorities have always said their regulations will mirror Britain’s. o Whilst existing residence, health and working rights appear to be assured, the change of taxation treatment from EU to 3rd country citizen could affect net incomes significantly - with rental income being taxed on 24% of gross income and not 19% on net income (after expenses), as now.
Climate Crisis Nero is fiddling while Rome burns. As history states, not only did the Emperoro play music while his people suffered, he was also an ineffectual leader in a time of crisis. Unfortunately, the world appears to have many ‘Nero’ Governments - America, Brazil, Australia, India, China which are either in denial or too focused on their own domestic problems to take the required action. That has been left to the individual citizens of the World to act, but inevitably it will result in increased migration and internal conflicts. o Last year saw the first drop
In the 24th Spanish Property Report, chartered surveyor Campbell Ferguson gathers evidence to forecast the wider national trends for 2020 in visitors to Spain since 2012, due in part to collective concern for our carbon footprint. Warmer summers in Northern Europe make the benefits of Mediterranean travel less rational, and there’s competition from other countries too. o In Spain, the Climate Change is predicted to lead to ▪ Less rainfall - 2019 was the driest in Málaga Province since records began, reservoirs are at their lowest level in years and 40% of Marbella’s drinking water is being supplied by desalination. We still have the spring rains to come and may they will be plentiful. ▪ More storms and sudden downpours, which cause surface floods rushing over the land to the sea, with little percolating down to the aquifers upon which our water wells depend. ▪ Rising sea levels and storm surges, will see greater damage to coastal areas, and flooding up river as downpour waters meet storm waves surging up from the sea. ▪ On the beneficial side, there will be more tourism hours of sunshine and carbon free energy will be plentiful from both wind and solar power.
Good news As a result of all the development licences that have been granted, the financial status of some municipalities has been transformed. Estepona, to judge from the public works construction that is being carried out, is using that money to enhance sports and health facilities, including sharing the cost of a new hospital with the Regional health authority. However the construction of the fancy new Town Hall is questionable, given that the coastal paseo, pozo negro (septic tank) pollution, roads and roundabouts are in urgent need of attention.
Increased Incentives Financiers and developers appear to be reacting to reduced inspection visits by enhancing commissions to agents, reducing prices and offering buyer incentives. Others are putting things on hold until the market becomes clearer. o As stated in previous columns, Spanish market stats may be skewed by the surge in ‘off plan’ purchases. These are secured by private, non-notarised contracts and so will only appear in the record after the paperwork is processed and the buyer has the keys. So if there appears to be a ‘bounce’ in the next few months, it’s inaccurate. The real figures show buyer numbers falling off.
Completions Survey Spain is often instructed by individuals to carry out ‘Snag-
ging’/Building Survey inspections of new builds. While devel opers have their own ‘snagging’ inspections before accepting the building from the contractor, they are likely to have been carried out by an estate agent keen to get sales moving and claim their commission. We come across many properties where the level of workmanship has been far from acceptable, perhaps due to construction being rushed. Legal changes that could affect property values (We stress that we are not lawyers and can only comment to the best of our knowledge)
Housing Regulations As stated above and previously, Local and National Governments are making regulations to affect the form of development (e.g. demanding a percentage of the development is set aside for VPO ‘Council Housing’), and requiring Licences for seasonal rentals so that the administration of those is similar to hotels. Given the left-wing bias of the newly sworn in Government, there are sure to be further impositions in attempts to create a ‘fair’ market for tenants. Past experience has shown that most of these types of measures, merely skew the market with short-term tenant benefits, but medium-term reductions in availability.
Mortgages Spanish banks may be less keen to lend to foreign buyers due to a new law obliging them to charge the mortgage in the buyer’s home currency if the exchange rate has fallen significantly against the euro. Britain is one of nine EU countries affected along with Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania and SwEden.
Regularisation of Properties One of the first acts of the new Junta in Andalucia, was to change the local regulations permitting owners of houses built on illegal land to ‘regularise’ them - not making them officially legal but taking no action providing they comply with building regulations. However, this ruling has been appealed to Spain’s Supreme Court by the National Government itself and environmentalists who believe it will encourage illegal development in the future. In the next issue, Campbell Ferguson hones in on local property trends
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL Sky high Andalucia is one of three global bases offering space travel next year
THRILL-seekers will be offered the ultimate experience in southern Spain next year. A Spanish company is to blast tourists into space from a trio of global bases, one of them in Andalucia, in 2021. Zero 2 Infinity is building a base in Jaen, alongside two more in Saudi Arabia and Baja California, in Mexico. Costing up to €12 million to build, the launch pad in Villacarrillo, will offer punters 10 to 20-minute trips for around €125,000 each. The balloon-type craft will ascend 36 kilometres into space and punters will need to be of a certain level of fitness. The trip will be in a pressurised cabin or
DOUBLE DELIGHT A RESTAURANT in Toledo has served up the best croquettes in the country for two years in a row. Restaurante Ivan Cerdeno came top again for the ‘creaminess, texture and flavour’ of its Spanish delicacy. In second place was Casa Belarmino in Asturias, in the contest sponsored by celebrated jamon producer Joselito.
pod, propelled by a balloon fuelled by helium gas. It will soar higher than planes, but below satellites. No extensive training is needed and passengers will not be wearing astronaut gear, but overalls similar to those of a race car driver. Passengers will mostly feel the same as they do on a normal flight, but there will be a certain level of discomfort as there won’t be any catering or toilets. “As there is nothing abrupt about it, it’s the kind of tourism anyone can enjoy,” said co-onwer Kemel Kharbachi. “The 2021 tourists will have to have plenty of economic clout, but as both the technology and the program evolve, in five or 10 years we want this type of trip to become something like the ‘all-inclusive’ packages to the Caribbean.” Elon Musk’s SpaceX plans to have the first civilian in space this year, while Richard Branson plans to take 600 tourists into space this year, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Justin Bieber.
SACRE BLUE ANDALUCIAN chef Agustin Herrera has scooped a prestigious French food competition. The Cordoba-born maestro won the Food in Sud contest, in Marseille, with a four-strong team from his Madrid-based El Clasico Taberna & Tapas restaurant. The Lucena chef, who has won various competitions over the last few years, was up against teams from around the Med. The judges chose him for his menu that ‘took the diner around our country with every bite’. His meal consisted of a Lucerne Grondin in a crab sauce, accompanied by a Madrid-style chickpea biscuit, yogurt, mint and a Navarra piparra.
Enjoy the new Cashback promotion from Liberty and spend the benefit your way! ‘Spend it how you like’ is the slogan for the new Cashback offer from LIBERTY SEGUROS, the preferred expat insurer in Spain, because it’s entirely up to you what you spend that extra cash on! It’s simple too! Just take out a new car, home, life or funeral insurance from LIBERTY SEGUROS to access this new Cashback offer. You’ll receive the Cash back directly into your bank account! Until 26th March 2020, existing customers who take out a new policy on one or more of these insurance covers, can get 60€ Cashback on each one. That means, for example, if you contract a new car policy plus a life policy you can get 120€. Imagine what you could do with that money! New clients will also benefit. They will get 30€ Cashback on the first policy and for all subsequent new policies 60€ each. Again, as an example, the first is a
car policy providing 30€ Cashback and if a home and life policy is contracted too that’s another 120€ making a possible Cashback total of 150€. There is no limit on policies, so there is no limit on Cashback, whether you’re an existing or new customer! What better time could there be to switch to LIBERTY SEGUROS for even greater savings and the best covers for all types of insurance. The main condition is that premiums are paid by direct debit and all Cashback is credited to the same bank account. For convenience, payments can be set up both in Spain or in your home country bank account, as long as it is within the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) zone.
for Funeral. In the case of car it will be 400€ in mainland Spain and in the Balearics and 330€ in the Canary Islands, and 220€ and 160€ for home premiums in the mainland/Balearics and Canary Islands respectively. Over 175,000 expat clients have already chosen LIBERTY SEGUROS as their insurance provider and this figure grows almost daily because of the excellent service and quality of cover they get. LIBERTY SEGUROS has an
extensive network of more than 300 brokers/agents who are dedicated to providing friendly and expert advice. Speaking your own language, these brokers and agents are available to discuss, face-to-face, the cover that will be perfect for you. This must be better than dealing with anyone only by phone! To find the location of your nearest broker/ agent, please visit www. libertyexpatriates.es. or simply call 91 342 25 49
Customers must be aware that these offers are not for renewals or replacements and apply only to new policies for car, home, life and funeral cover. Minimum premiums to access this offer are 200€ for Life insurance and 160 €
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: JULIA CHACÓN ON JULIA@PLCSPAIN.COM OR PHONE 956 794 112
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February 5th - February 18th 2020
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February 5th - February 18th 2020
Hillside romance
WHERE better to celebrate Valentine’s Day than in the intimate surroundings of Fountainhead hotel and restaurant, voted one of the top ten most romantic venues in Spain. Nestled in the beautiful hills near Riogordo in Malaga province, the views are stunning as is the décor of this award winning restaurant. Helen Bartlett’s inspired cooking draws gourmets from far afield, known for her imaginative infusion of modern and traditional dishes that also includes vegetarian and vegan options.
Pampering
The extensive wine list boasts around 100 of Spain’s best wines at reasonable prices. So, if you fancy a special dinner, head up to Fountainhead where you will be warmly welcomed by their pampering staff. And, if you don’t want to drive home, it’s also possible to stay the night in one of the four fabulous suites. Prices: around €40 per head for three-course a la carte dinner. Special Valentine’s Day package for two, dinner, bed and breakfast €295. Drinks not included. Reservations 696183309 www.fountainheadinspain.com
ALENTINE’S day is just one big heart-shaped excuse to eat mouth-watering, heart-melting food, our one true love. Wonderful meals aren’t only found on menus, in fact, the best dinners are undoubtedly those you prepare yourself… and your loved one will certainly appreciate it all the more. Cooking is a labour of love and whether you’re a Heston Blumenthal aficionado or a beans-on-toast connoisseur, it shows you care and takes you to the heart of the meal and the root of the flavour. It takes far more thought and care to create exciting, enticing food than it does to fall back lazily on the default flowers and chocolates combo. And why not experiment with some of mother nature’s own aphrodisiacs; avocado, almonds, honey and figs are all bound to cause a stir. So with love in the air and rumbling in the belly, treat that someone special to these romantic recipes without stepping out your front door (except, of course, to buy the ingredients).
Valentines Day is the perfect opportunity to woo your loved one, via the kitchen
Parmesanstuffed medjool dates wrapped in bacon
Roast salmon and asparagus It’s love at first sight when succulent salmon meets aphrodisiacal asparagus in this one-pot-pleaser... lPre-heat the oven to 200C. lTip new potatoes and 1 tbsp of olive oil into an ovenproof dish and roast for 20 minutes, until they are starting to brown. lToss the asparagus, trimmed and halved, in with the potatoes and return to the oven for 15 minutes. lAdd cherry tomatoes and vinegar and nestle salmon fillets amongst the vegetables, then drizzle more olive oil over and return to the oven for a final 10-15 minutes. lScatter over basil leaves and serve everything scooped straight from the dish.
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lPull the pits out of large Medjool dates and stuff with a small chunk of Parmesan cheese. lCut slices of bacon in thirds and wrap each piece around a stuffed date. lPlace them seam-side down on a baking sheet and bake at 180C for 10 minutes, or until the bacon is cooked through.
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ur s to Yo ry d 00 er o st ote 0,0 low 2 l om ly fo pr ar ok ne bo ce Fa
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For a Valentine’s ‘date’ to remember...
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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL Big heartshaped day
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February 5th - February 18th 2020
Rocking your Valentine POP A CORK! You can’t have a romantic dinner without some sparkle and fizz.
Budget Fresh fizzy and oh so Spanish, check out Lidl’s amazing Aresel DO Brut Nature Vintage Cava €2.59 . Not everyone loves sparkles, but you won’t go wrong with this.
Honey baked figs and ice cream And something sweet for your sweetheart lCut a dozen fresh figs in half and put into a shallow baking dish and dot with 1 tsp butter. lMix 1 tbsp clear honey with juice of one orange and drizzle over the figs. lBake for 15 mins or until the figs are soft and sticky. lServe with vanilla ice cream topped with orange zest and chopped pistachios.
Blow it Head to Aldi for its award winning Veuve Monsigny Champagne €12.99. The prestigious International Wine and Spirits Challenge rate it as one of the ‘world’s best’ champagnes.
There are few more romantic places to spend Valentine’s Day than on the Rock of Gibraltar. With the combination of colonial past and glitzy modern present, Gibraltar offers a home from home for visitors from the UK and elsewhere. For one second you can forget about Brexit and indulge in the love of your life under the shade of the Rock, a place as comfortable as it is secure. If you’re looking for a place to serenade the love of your life, you could swing by The Yard at Ocean Village. Set in the luxurious setting of a trendy marina, you can eat a scrumptious dinner as you gaze into the eyes of your loved one with the sunset lighting the sky with hues of pink. You could even sleep nearby too, rocked to sleep by the ebb and flow of the tide at Jasmine Air Bed ‘n’Breakfast. Stay in a stylish yacht anchored in the exclusive surroundings of the lively Ocean Village. With dolphin tours and fishing trips being optional extras, Jasmine BnB will make your Valentine’s Day a truly special occasion. Finally, if you want to make the most of all that rocking to and fro, head to The Store sex shop in the ICC at Casemates Square. Formerly known as Amy Jay’s, you can buy an assortment of sex toys at this sex shop to really make Valentine’s Day finish off with a bang. With its discreet and personal service, The Store will could really set alight the flames of passion on this special day for lovers.
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February 5th - February 18th 2020
Chartered Financial Planner Jonathan Holdaway explains what a ‘fund’ actually is
I
N the last few articles I’ve been talking a great deal about ‘funds’, so I thought it would be worth delving into these in a bit more detail. When financial services professionals refer to a fund, they are usually talking about a unit trust or open-ended investment company (OEIC). A fund is a pool of cash that is used to invest in a collection of assets; most commonly company shares and bonds. The mixture of assets dampens the risk of holding a single investment.
BUSINESS BACK TO BASICS ca) or sector concentration (a commodities fund may predominantly hold mining stocks). The majority of funds are actively managed, meaning an investment professional with significant experience will routinely research and analyse the holdings in the fund, aiming to deliver higher gains. Do funds pay an income?
Funds can pay an income, or they can reinvest income with an What do funds invest in? aim to grow the capital Other funds invest you’ve invested. A fund’s investment portdepends on the fund, the in more mature Itshare folio will typically be made class you hold, and firms, which do the objective of the fund. up of holdings in equities (stocks) and bonds, but can Some funds aim for capital also include more speciali- pay a dividend to growth, and do not pay a sed products such as prosignificant income because clients perty, passive investments they invest in companies and cash or cash-like prowhich do not pay dividends ducts intended to reduce volatility. - instead reinvesting their profits into The performance of a fund that invests the business with a view to growing primarily in equities and corporate the enterprise. bonds will be dependent on the perfor- Other funds invest in more mature bumance of the companies it invests in. sinesses, which do pay a dividend, so Funds are also split into categories ba- these funds are more likely to provide sed on what assets they are invested in an income. (bonds or equities, for example), the re- The amount of income a fund returns to gional bias (a North America fund will an investor is expressed as yield. The focus on stocks listed in North Ameri- yield is the interest or dividend paid by an investment. It is expressed as a per-
centage. What is a passive fund? Passive investing is the opposite of its active counterpart, in that funds will track a relative index, the FTSE 100 for example, rather than aiming to outperform it through a series of strategic asset allocations and stock choices. A passive fund works on the assumption that the market will be more efficient than subjective choices made by
an individual or team of managers. The advantage of passive funds is that they tend to be cheaper than actively managed vehicles. Passive funds can either be trackers, which are bought and sold in the same way as active funds, or exchange traded funds (ETFs) that function as shares. There is an ongoing debate over whether active or passive funds can consistently deliver targeted returns. Active managers will argue that their expertise and focused attention on the por-
Jonathan now has an office Malaga, which can be found here: Alameda Colón, 9, 1, 7. 29001 Málaga, Spain. Phone: +34 951 579226
Contact me for a no obligation investment product and/or portfolio review and at my expense on +34 654 898 303/+44 77230 27864 or email me at jonathan.holdaway@chasebuchanan.com I’ll even buy the coffee.
History, adventure and romance. That’s just the setting.
Join us for a celebration of history, art, heritage and pageantry in a unique part of the world.
With a UNESCO world heritage site offering 120,000 years of human history and only short drive from the Costa del Sol, enjoy the warmth of the British Gibraltarians and splash out VAT-free in Sterling. Gibraltar. Sun, sea and history served with a very British twist. PROUD
BRITISH
For further information call: Gibraltar Tourist Board +350 200 74950 Or to download a brochure go to: www.visitgibraltar.gi
www.visitgibraltar.gi
Heritage STREET PARTIES MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE HISTORY MUSIC
Phoenician Empire Calentita
Jazz
INTERNATIONAL
THE ROCK The MoorishMusicCastle Festivals Food Festival Pillars of Hercules National Week, Chess, Snooker, Backgammon Championships 100000 YEARS Darts, Neanderthal Settlements LITERARY FESTIVAL
ibraltar
#VISITGIBRALTAR
A year of Culture
Bring hearts, minds and souls
Exodus begins BREXIT has already had a negative impact on Gibraltar and it could get worse, a business leader has warned. James Lasry, chairperson of the Gibraltar Funds and Investment Association, fears a Spanish veto could hurt the finance sector on the Rock. “Brexit has been difficult on the finance industry in Gibraltar,” Lasry told the Olive Press. “Some companies, particularly asset management firms, have indeed left Gibraltar and some have restructured, thus minimising their Gibraltar footprint.” However, he sees the arrival of Fintech and Blockchain companies as evidence of this ability to adapt to emerging markets. Lasry has been against Brexit from the beginning, like 96% of Gibraltar, but he gave the authorities full marks for what it has done
BUSINESS
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February 5th - February 18th 2020
Burger bunfight RESTAURANT Brands Iberia (RBI) has bought KAM Food Service in the latest frenzy of fast food firm acquisitions. The Spanish firm is a subsidiary of the company that owns Burger King (Restaur a n t Brands International). KAM Food Service oper-
Business chief admits he fears the Spanish veto as companies have already left the Rock
FEAR: James Lasry expressed concern that Spanish veto could wreak financial havoc
since the June 2016 referendum. “The Government of Gibraltar is doing an extraordinary job in a difficult situation,” said Lasry. “The right of passporting to the UK is very helpful indeed particularly since we are the only other jurisdiction with this privilege.” Even though he thinks the deal signed with the UK could bring new business to the Rock, he is fearful of political strife. “Any agreement between
the UK and the EU will be subject to the Spanish veto,” said the Hassans partner. “We will have to work very hard to convince Spain not to exercise this.” However, he is upbeat about the attitude of the new Spanish government. “Although the sovereignty argument will always be an important issue in the minds and hearts of our neighbours, the discussion has been successfully reframed in order to deal with other issues as well,” added Lasry.
Buying or selling your property may be the most important transaction you will ever make... Attention to detail is crucial. That is why when you choose Charles Gomez & Co for your conveyancing, our dedicated team of experts scrutinise everything and keep you informed at every step of the process.
35 Years of Excellence in Conveyancing
BinckBank is celebrating 20 years of helping private investors navigate the ups and downs of the stock market. From a small pioneer the bank has became Best Broker in the Netherlands for the sixth consecutive year in 2018. With bases in Spain, France, Italy and Belgium, it is also one of Europe’s leading private investment banks. Personal relationship managers are available for private consultations via telephone, Skype or at the BinckBank office
ate 70 restaurants across northern Spain, with 1,650 employees. In 2019 RBI took over Megafoods, which had 80 restaurants. With the latest acquisition it brings the groups total fast f o o d outlets in Spain to about a thousand.
Smarter investing and Investment Academy on Marbella’s Golden Mile. Throughout the year the bank organises open days, socials and sporting events to help guide clients along their investment path. Tutorials, seminars, webinars, investment clubs, articles and videos are accessible to all at Binck Bank.
www.binckbank.com, info@binckbank.com. Tel: 951 565 656
NB Trading in financial products always involves a risk. The value of your investment may go down as well as up. As a general rule, you should therefore only trade in financial products if you understand the products and the risks associated with them.
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February 5th - February 18th 2020
HEALTH
Killer virus alert As coronavirus death toll hits 400, suspected Gibraltarian sufferers told to stay put
HEALTH chiefs in Gibraltar have ordered the public not to go to hospital if they think they have the deadly coronavirus. Government ministers met with police and essential services this week to plan against the coronavirus threat.
W
E are what we eat. It’s an old saying but never truer. Reawakening to the facts that health lies in the quality of everything we consume, Omega Pharmacy has inventively taken on the task of providing a more fulfilling service in the name of health. The pioneering Gibraltar pharmacy takes an innovative approach based on the principles of modern medicine while providing anti-inflammatory, Omega 3 rich foods and fresh, nutrition-packed juices that counteract chronic illness. Locally-renowned pharmacist Louis Calvente continues his expansion at Euro Towers, projecting his vision of an improved, healthier lifestyle. “The root cause of most chronic diseases (sinusitis, rheumatoid arthritis and bronchitis to
With the first confirmed case of the disease having been recorded in the UK, Gibraltar is on alert to contain a local outbreak. “Only people who have been to China in the last two weeks are considered to have any risk of catching Coronavirus,” said the
Gibraltar G -overnment. “If they have the normal symptoms of a cold, but otherwise feel well, they should stay at home, keep warm, drink plenty of fluids, and call the PCC by telephone. “Going to hospital only increas-
es the risk of a spread.” The early signs of the highly infectious disease are a dry cough, fever, shortness of breath and a sore throat. As the government said the disease is spread ‘by droplets’ and that ‘frequent handwashing’ can help to stop a local outbreak. Since being first reported on New Year’s Day, around
20,000 cases of the disease have been declared around China, with 425 people having died as a result. The spread of the coronavirus led to the World Health Organisation declaring the outbreak a global health emergency. Meanwhile, in the US, pharmaceutical companies are racing to come up with the first vaccine for the disease.
Omega Pharmacy: pharmacy of the future name a few) lies in the inflammation of the body’s tissues, leading to the build up of mucus, acidity and the eventual onset of disease,” he says. The ratio of Omega 3s to Omega 6s in the average diet ranges between 1:10 and 1:15, when in fact it should be little more than
1:2, he also reveals. This imbalance of Omegas in our body contributes to high blood pressure, heart attacks and heart disease, the world’s leading cause of death. Omega Pharmacy aims to combat these diseases with alkalizing, nutritious juices that neutralise acidity in the body
BOOST: From Omega Pharmacy’s range of healthy products
to reduce inflammation. Their range includes green juice (from green vegetables), sweetened green juice (with orange and strawberry), and red juice (main ingredients beetroot and carrot). Omega has applied the same concepts to the latest selection of healthy, homemade foods using alkalizing ingredients that are also high in Omega 3s. The collection includes vegetarian options such as kidney bean and quinoa chilli, pescatarian delicacies (prawn curry with zucchini is the latest), appetisers and desserts - think chickpea hummus with carrots and home-baked granola and coconut bars. Omega Pharmacy stocks many other alternatives to give your
lifestyle a health upgrade: energising shots to help you kickstart your day, cold-pressed kombucha which contains naturally occurring probiotics for a healthy gut and powdered ‘super-foods’, such as acai and spirulina to give your protein shake that extra boost or snazz up your smoothie. Together with their service of prescribed and over-the-counter medicines and broader perspective on health, Omega Pharmacy is pioneering the way for pharmacies of the future. Call, find them on Facebook or pop into Cooperage Lane (20044544) or Euro Towers (20048584) for more info.
Help at hand NEARLY 4,000 people took mental health medication in Gibraltar in 2019, the government has revealed. The figures, which include those who work on the Rock, showed antidepressants were the most used, with over 3,600 patients taking them on a regular basis. Less common were antipsychotics, taken by 775 patients, with 439 taking both medications on a regular basis.
Stigma
Opposition MPs expressed concern that the figure was too high, but the Chief Minister said it was wrong to judge those seeking help. “People should not consider that having a mental health problem is a stigma in any way,” said Fabian Picardo. “People should be encouraged to come forward as much as possible and not be regarded as a problem or indeed a statistic.”
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February 5th - February 18th 2020
COLUMNISTS
Curse like a native
Charlie Smith
Dicks, balls, c*nts … Charlie Smith delves into the nether regions of Andalucia’s everyday swearwords and the more curious aspects of Spanish vocabulary ONE of the most enjoyable parts of learning Spanish – or any language – is getting to grips with its many curses and swear words. Not a day goes by in my multi-lingual office where I don’t hear a ‘coño’ (c*nt) or an ‘hijo de puta’ (son of a bitch). And if you’re attempting to learn Spanish in Andalucia like I am, you’ll also be aware that such profanity is in no way limited to a feisty chat over the photocopier.
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Many-a-Malagueño, including the elderly, can be heard shouting ‘picha’ (penis) to a pal in the street or casually uttering ‘joder’ – meaning f*ck – at the slightest nuisance. However, aside from the obvious effing and jeffing, there are some amazing and more nuanced everyday phrases that you should add to your vocabulary if you want to speak like a true Spaniard. Curiously, many of these involve milk. First up is the crude idiom, ‘me cago en la leche’, which literally translates as ‘I shit in the milk’. This expression should be used in moments of anger or frustration, like when you drop a bottle of milk. Another creamy catchphrase, ‘ser la leche’ means ‘to be the milk’ and is often employed to describe how cool something or someone is. In the description of a person, you can say ‘se cree la leche’, which means something closer to ‘he thinks he’s it’. ‘Tener mala leche’ or ‘to have bad milk’ is one of the best milk-based phrases, as it describes being grumpy or ill-tempered. However, as with many phrases
there is contradiction, as it can also mean to have bad luck. Dairy aside, another favourite of mine is ‘tocar los cojones’, a hotly debated saying that contains one of Spain’s several words for testacles – others include huevos and pelotas. Stick the phrase into Google Translate and you get ‘touch the balls’. To touch somebody’s balls doesn’t have an exact equivalent in English, but means somewhere in between ‘to annoy someone’ and to ‘take the piss’. Do not forget cojones, as the word can also be used in the phrases ‘tener cojones’ (to be brave) and ‘écharle cojones’ (to challenge someone). Finally, another word I picked up recently is ‘malafollá’,
literally translating to something like ‘bad fuck’. This word is very specific however and should be used to describe an encounter with a Granaino – a person from Granada. It kind of means moody, but it is more like short or abrupt, although the person still has a sense of humour. I bore witness to this in Granada while ordering a beer, which came with a free tapa, from a stonyfaced waitress who had the hint of a smile – kind of like the Mona Lisa. Next time I will discuss ‘false friends’ – words in English and Spanish that sound the same, but have different meanings.
COLD SHOCK
Just when Giles Brown thought it was safe to go back to the water... As my friends and family will readily agree, I’ve done some pretty foolish things in my time, usually late a night and undoubtedly with alcohol involved. Since my, ahem, ‘lifestyle change’ of a few years ago (You did Dry January? Welcome to my world) I decided to ‘give something back’ whenever I can. This is why I usually say yes when I’m asked to get involved with charity events. Normally this involves me flinging on a clean shirt and acting as MC for the night. So when I took a call from Virginia Macari asking me if I wanted to get involved with an event that the Collective Calling charity were organising, I immediately said yes, anticipating dusting off the diner jacket. Which just goes to show that I should enquire more thoroughly before agreeing to do something. This event was a little different. It was a 200m sponsored swim. In the Mediterranean. In January. The last time that I went in the water in January was to celebrate my birthday. There was snow on La Concha – which should have perhaps warned me that it was going to be a ‘little chilly’ – and when I dived it was so cold that I certain parts of my anatomy retracted at a rapid rate. So far and fast in fact that I had two round lumps on the top of my head where my man jewels had shot up and rebounded off the inside of my skull. Any thought that I might undertake the swim wearing nothing but a pair of swimming trunks was soon ruled out by two factors The first was the advice of a Romanian yachting friend who explained that, as I’m not exactly in my teens anymore,
‘cold water shock’ might actually induce a heart attack. The second was perfectly clear at the press call for the event, when I found myself standing next to a group of ‘ripped’ crossfitters who were also taking part in the event. No amount of chest puffing out and stomach holding in was going to help me here. A quick call to a friend who runs regular canyoning trips soon sorted me out with a wetsuit. After several days of torrential rain, the day itself was beautiful and sunny and a sizable crowd gathered to watch the event. After saying hello to the organisers, I casually slipped away to shoehorn myself into the wetsuit – no easy task, I can assure you. But when I looked over my shoulder I saw in horror that the rest of the charity swimmers were already in the water. I yelled, charged through the crowd and crashed into the surf with all the grace of an oil tanker being launched. Once again the water was freezing and I had the ignominy of being the last one back on the beach. But as I gulped a life reviving cafe solo I could reflect on a job well done. And at least no one had mistaken my floundering form for a cetacean and alerted the Norwegian Whaling Fleet.
SPORT
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Russian to victory New chess champ said he was ‘lucky’ after nabbing £30,000 prize
CHESS may be more about luck than you think, according to the winner of the Gibraltar Chess Masters. David Paravayan took down some of the best in the world at the Caleta Hotel to reach the play-off final where he beat Hao Wang to collect a cool £30,000. Immediately after winning, the young Russian spoke to the Olive Press about how he pulled it off one of the biggest upsets of the Gibraltar International Chess Festival. “I am so happy I still can’t believe I won,” the 21-year-old said. “I was very nervous in the final but I wanted a draw and he made some mistakes so I was lucky, as this was my biggest result. “In the end I think chess is so much about luck, both in how a game goes and how an opponent feels. “There is a lot at stake and it’s never easy to be absolutely in control of everything when you have so much going on in your mind.” Top seed Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, who came fourth in the event, revealed to the
February 5th - February 18th 2020
Fever pitch A CHINESE football team from the city at the centre of the deadly coronavirus outbreak has been left kicking its heels in Spain’s Sotogrande after its preseason matches were cancelled. Gibraltar’s Europa Point FC became the latest club to pull out of a game against Chinese Super League team Wuhan Zall. They were due to play in Estepona on February 3. The Chinese team’s new coach Jose Gonzalez – former boss of Malaga – had hoped to put his players through their paces in Spain, but following official advice from the Gibraltar FA, Europa Point cancelled. Wuhan is the city where the coronavirus outbreak that has now claimed 425 lives started. Nations including the UK and USA have been evacuating their citizens from the Chinese metropolis. But the football team has not been in the city since January 2, instead training 1,000 kilometres away in Guangzhou. Club officials say that the incubation period of the virus has long since passed, with none of the team being affected.
Examinations
SHOCKED: David Paravayan played for the draw but ended up winning Olive Press that finalist Hao said the Frenchman. The puter. “Even current World Wang ‘lacks mental stability’ 2005 FIDE World Champion Champion Magnus Carlsen Vesselin Topalov of Bulgaria has some problems with Faat times. “Chess is a very psychological said ‘young promising play- biano Caruana closing in on game so you need to be able ers’ were winning because his number one spot,” the to control your emotions,” they grew up with the com- 44-year-old chess star said.
The players travelled via Shanghai and Istanbul to arrive at Malaga Airport last Wednesday, with the local health authorities giving them a clean bill of health. In a statement the Andalucia health service said: “The Wuhan Zall Chinese first division team arrived this morning at Malaga airport from Istanbul and Shanghai, without showing any symptoms related to the virus.” The health service was taking no chances and sent doctors to meet the team. “No additional examinations were necessary. The medical team confirmed that none of them showed symptoms,” added the statement. But despite this, Russian side FK Krasnodar pulled out of a match they were due to play against Wuhan Zall in Spain, with Europa Point soon following suit. Speaking to the Spanish media on arrival at Malaga, Jose Gonzalez emphasised that Wuhan Zall had travelled with a doctor and no player had been sick. He hoped that the team would be treated sympathetically as many of the players had family in the city. They are due to remain in Sotogrande until at least February 18.
Blow for basketball Pioneer
He moved back to Europe in 2004 and had a successful
career in the Euroleague – Europe’s top tier competition. He played for four Spanish teams during that period including Valencia, Badalona and Zaragoza. However Malaga, where he spent three seasons from 2008 to 2011, was the team where he made the biggest impact. Archibald also had 37 caps as a Great Britain international, representing Team GB at the London Olympic Games in 2012, after which he subsequently retired from international duty. Tributes have come in from
around the globe, including from Spanish legend Pau Gasol who was his teammate in Memphis. British Basketball Federation chairman Maurice Watkins said: “He was a fantastic ambassador for Scottish and British basketball and will be fondly remembered for his great contribution to the game in our country, his talent and his achievements.” His death came just two days before the world lost another titan of the game in Kobe Bryant, who lost his life along with eight other people in a helicopter crash. The 41-year-old LA
Lakers star and his daughter Gianna, 13 were killed when their chopper smashed into a hill in California.
OP Puzzle solutions
Quick Crossword
Across: 7 Serve, 8 Aseptic, 9 Easiest, 10 Supra, 11 Primer, 13 Enrol, 16 Agape, 18 Fiddle, 21 Until, 23 Advance, 24 Selects, 25 Darts. . Down: 1 Dressing, 2 Recede, 3 Oast, 4 Person, 5 Step, 6 Scram, 7 Sleepy, 12 Rue, 13 Elf, 14 Ordinary, 15 Renews, 17 Palace, 19 Invade, 20 Curse, 22 Talk, 23 Also.
SUDOKU
FORMER Malaga and Great Britain basketball international Robert Archibald has died at the age of 39. University of Illinois athletics officials confirmed Archibald’s death in circumstances that still remain unclear. The seven-foot giant is the only Scotsman to ever play in the NBA when he was drafted in 2002 by the Memphis Grizzlies.
6 9 5 7 4 2 8 3 1
1 7 3 9 5 8 6 4 2
2 8 4 1 3 6 5 7 9
7 2 8 4 6 9 1 5 3
3 5 9 2 1 7 4 8 6
4 6 1 5 8 3 2 9 7
9 1 6 8 7 4 3 2 5
8 3 2 6 9 5 7 1 4
5 4 7 3 2 1 9 6 8
Puzzle by websudoku.com
CAR AHOY: Talk about dopey tourists.. this one reversed his hire car onto a boat in Cabopino this week. Pic sent in by reader Graham Pierce
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Landing pad THE Hard Rock Cafe is opening a merchandise store in Malaga airport and joins the restaurants in Malaga centre and Marbella, bringing the franchise’s total to three on the Costa del Sol.
Shocker A 4.2 MAGNITUDE earthquake shook Almogia, lying north of Torremolinos, but nobody was hurt and no significant damage was caused.
Vol. 5, Issue 115 www.theolivepress.es February 5th - February 18th 2020
By Joanne Oakley
A BRITISH sailor got the shock of his life when he pulled a bail of hash - worth €280,000 - out of the sea. The yacht captain Mike Stewart bucked the trend by immediately calling in police and coastguard on landing the haul off Murcia. The seasoned seadog, 58, had been sailing from the
British sailor finds €280,000 worth of marijuana in the Med
UK to Mallorca, via the Straits of Gibraltar. The Mancunian and his three crew - one a former policeman - spotted the huge 35kg package, wrapped in plastic off the port of Aguilas. After dragging it on board
Slip one under the table slip up
they soon realised that it was a huge stash of marijuana and called the Spanish police. “You could hardly pick the thing up,” revealed Stewart. “One of our crew was in the police for 45 years and he hadn’t seen a thing like it.”
It is thought the drugs may have been dumped by traffickers in fear of being followed. It could also have been left anchored out at sea, ready for pick-up. The regular sailor added: “Coming through the Straits there’s always refugee boats, things like that.”
Submarine
IT is a brave new symbol to represent Spain’s most populous region. But some critics insist that the Junta de Andalucia’s new logo looks like a ‘back hander’, appropriate after decades of corruption saw billions stolen by greedy politicians in Sevilla. The new design, which cost €14,500, was also criticised by unhappy taxpayers, who took to social media saying it could have been created far cheaper. The government claims the logo is respectful of the history of Andalucia, adapted to the times and friendly to the environment.
E IV US CL IC EX P
OLIVE PRESS
OOPS!
GIBRALTAR
It comes after a Spanish man was sentenced to eight years for smuggling the largest ever haul of narcotics into Gibraltar. Last year a group of Galician smugglers were found bringing tons of cocaine into Spain via a specially-designed submarine.
Brolly good show A SPANISH ‘Super gran’ caught on camera taking on a robber with her umbrella has gone viral on social media. Amazing CCTV footage captured the moment the 73-year-old pensioner, from Madrid, tussled with the thief outside a supermarket. The video shows Antonia being thrown to the ground by the young thug after she tries to raise the alarm. The thief was attempting to open the cash register in the shop with a small knife, which she tried to wrestle off him. Despite her heroic efforts, the man made off with €2,000. However, footage shows him receiving one last blow to the head in the street outside. After Antonia reported the incident to police the man was arrested.